Between pollen, dust mites and our beloved furry friends, there’s usually something in the air when it comes to allergies. In fact, New Zealand has some of the worst allergy rates in the world with between 30-40% of adults suffering from allergies.
Respiratory conditions like asthma are also affecting an astonishingly high number of New Zealanders- in fact, according to the Allergy and Asthma Foundation, 1 in 6 Kiwis are affected by respiratory disease, which is the third leading cause of death in NZ.
So why do we suffer so badly here in New Zealand compared to the rest of the world?
According to Allergy New Zealand and the Asthma Foundation, there are high numbers of wind-pollinated plants which are one of the biggest triggers for many allergy and asthma sufferers. Another big trigger is dust mites which thrive in damp, humid homes. Additionally, if you’ve got pets, the tiny particles of skin or ‘pet dander’ that is shed can quickly cause a reaction. It is also important to minimise contact with chemicals and fumes such as factory and cigarette smoke. (Source: 1: https://www.asthmafoundation.org.nz/your-health/living-with-asthma/common-asthma-triggers 2: http://www.allergy.org.nz/A-Z+Allergies/allergic+rhinitis+hay+fever.html)
So what can you do to reduce allergy and asthma triggers?
Advice from the Allergy foundation is to ‘Keep windows closed at night’ and to ‘use air conditioning, which cleans, cools, and dries the air’. The Asthma Foundation also endorses Sensitive Choice products which are rigorously tested to ensure they are safe to use for those suffering from allergies, asthma or other respiratory conditions.
Here at Daikin, we’re the experts on indoor air quality (IAQ for short) and have been developing a range of next-generation solutions for allergy sufferers for many years. Whether you are facing asthma or other respiratory conditions or even simply suffering from relatively mild hay fever, you can purify your indoor environment to reduce allergens and irritants such as pollen, pet dander, cigarette smoke and even viruses and bacteria with Daikin's Air Purifier. The Air Purifier features a unique 6-layer filtration system including patented Flash Streamer Technology. Flash Streamer uses a high-speed electron discharge to destroy pollen, bacteria, viruses and airborne mold spores in their tracks!
You can learn more about our air purifier, and Daikin's range of sensitive choice approved air conditioners here.